Railway traffic controlling apparatus



Patented Apr. `1942 M f i n lArlauana'rns y Robert M. Rosensteel, Fra

moreland County, i Switch and Signal Township, West- Pa., assign'or toThe Union Company, corporation` of `Pennsylvania 'Swissvale,` Pa., a y

ApplicationMarcn 27, 194i, seria1No.i3s5,4o4 7` claims. (ci. 177-353) My invention relates to railway traine control-A ling apparatus, and more `particularly to appara- V a remote control or a centralized traiiic tus for control system for railways.

`In remote control or centralized traflic control systems for railways traic governing devices located at one or more eldstations along a 'railway are in part manuallycontrolled from `aqcentral ofce station through the-mediumcf` a linelcircuit. Such line circuit usuallylcomprises open line wires mounted on a pole line and exposed to storms and other hazards with the result that a linewiremayfaih, i i The failure of a line wire results in theop- `erator at the oiiice station losing control over the eld station devices and thereby seriousdelay to trains governed by such devices may occur.`

Accordingly afeature of my invention is the provision of novel and `improved means for switching a remote control or centralized ,trahie f controlsystem from a normal linecircuit to a `spare line circuit in case of a failure ofy the nor-v mal line circuit.

Another feature of myinvention isthe provision ofnovel and improvedmeans for a remote control or centralized traffic control system wherewith the operatorat the oflice station can unaided and without leaving the office station cause the apparatus `at the different field stations ofv the system to be' transferred from a normal line `circuit to a spare line circuitor viceversa.`

`Still another feature of` my `invention `is the provisionof `novel means for railway traic` controllingr apparatus of the type here contemplated wherein an operator at an office station can elect togovern devices at a remote'station over either fone of two line circuits. i 0

The` above featuresvas 'well as other advantages ofrny invention, which will become apparent as thelspecification progresses, are attained accord-` i ing to my invention by providing alternativeline circuits, a two `position switch at the oice station and a polar relay at each of the field stations. The two position `switch at onepostion connects the oillce station apparatus to aIselected oneof` the line circuits and to the other line` circuit `at its other` position. `Each polar relayis ofthe type i characterized by the fact thatiitsarmature re-` mains in the position in which "it `was last moved when the relaybecomes deenergized `and further the relay for an interval long enough to` move the polar armature from its last position, the armaturemoves to its other positionfalthough` the en- A relay `that, can be ergizing. current ceases. made to operate in this manner is coveredby United States Letters Patent No. 2,140,604, granted;December 20, 1938, `to C. S. Snavely for Electrical` relays. The polar" relay at each iield station is connectedto one of the two `line circuits, "say,` for example, a spare line circuit, over its own normal contacts and to the other or nor' mal `line circuit voverits own reverse contacts; The traffic governing devices of each eld station areconnected to the normal line circuit over normal polar contacts ofthe polar relay of the same s'tationnand to the spare line circuit over reverse polar contacts ofxtherelay.y "The connections are suchthat when each vices ,of `the associated field station to the normal line ,circuit and its own operating Winding to the spare line circuit andthe operator at the oflice stationplaces ,theswitchf in the position to con# necttheoice station apparatus to the spareline circuit, each polar relay issupplied with` current as required to energize it` at reverse polarity with the result that each suchrelayis operated to its reverse position to connect the associatedtraic governing devices `to the spare` line circuit, leaving its own operating Winding connected to the normal line circuit.` If the operator later moves theswitch to its other position to connect the `of.

fice station apparatus to the normal line circuit `the connections are such that thev current sup-` pliedjto the normal line circuit energizes the `polar'relaysfat normal polarity to operate each relay to the normal position and connect; the tramcgoverning` devices of the associated field `station `tothe normal 'line circuit,leaving its own operating winding connected te the spare line circuit.

' I shallr describe one form of apparatus embodying` myinvention, and `shall then point out the novel features thereof lin claims.`

Thev accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic viewfshowing one form of `apparatus embodying my invention when used with a centralized traf-- i, nc control systemfor railways.

by the fact that the stroke of its armature isfcompleted-if-energy issuppliedv to its windings for a' long enough intervalto open the polarcontacts impulse of currentissupplied to thewinding of` inthe last position. `Inotherwords. when: an,

Although the present invention may beappnd to anyone of'several different typesofremote4 control and` centralized traffic controlusystems the inventionV has been shown applied to a time code type of Y centralized traiiic control systems as covered by the UnitedStates `Letters Patent polar relay is set at its noraction at the receiving end with that at the Y transmitting end. The office station is provided with a line battery, a repeater relay and a transmitting relay, the repeater relay and battery being connected in series to the line circuit over f.'

a back contact of the transmitting relay; Hence the oice station repeater relay is normally interposed in the line circuit to receive anda control code can be transmitted from the office station by operating the transmitting relay to periodically interrupt the line circuit in accordance with a predetermined time code pattern. Each iield station is provided with a `coding storage unit including a repeater relay, a master relay and a transmitting relay. Normally the master andy transmitting relays are deenergized and the repeater relay is connected to the line circuit over a back contactof the master relay, so that, as stated hereinbefore, the repeater relays are included in the line circuit in series with therepeater relay at the .oflice station and eachrepeater relay is therefore in a condition for receiving Hence, when'the omce station transmitting relay is operated to interrupt the line circuit in accordance with a control code the repeater` relays at the different stations are operated in step with such control code. When the master relay at a iield station is picked up the line circuit is opened to the 'more distant field stations and the repeater relay of the same station is connected` to the line circuit over a back contact of the respective transmitting relay and thus any neld station can transmit an indication code to the oflice station by the vmasterrelay of that eldstation being irst picked up and then the transmittingr relay at 'that iield station lbeing operated to interrupt the line circuit in accordance with a predetermined time `code pattern, such indication code operating the repeater relay at the onice Ystation in step therewith. The significant 'thing about such a centralized trame controllingrsystem as far as this application is concerned is the fact. that the control and indication codes are transmitted over a line circuit comprising two line wires extending between the oflice station` and the end station and looping through each intermediate eld station, and that these line wires are ordinarily located on a pole line where theyareexposed to storms andother hazards.` y

Referring to the drawing, an oflice station OF, an intermediate field station IFS andan end field `station ES of a centralized trarne control system are shown,. it being understood .that other eld stations maybe located between intermediate station IFS-and end stationy ES. ISuch other field stations are omitted from theV drawing for the sake of simplicity, since they would be a duplication of the intermediate station IFS and are not required for a full understanding of my invention.

In accordance4 with the type of y centralized traffic control system here involved, theofiice station OF isprovided withfa line battery OB,

' a repeater relay OR and atrans'mitting Vrelay OT; and the intermediate station IFS and end station ES are each provided with a coding stor age unit CS. Each such coding storage unit CS includes a repeater relay R, a master relay M and a transmitting relay T. Each repeater relay R is connected to terminals LI ad L2 of the associated coding storage unit over a back contact I0 of the master relay M of the same unit, and each master relay M when picked up closing front contact II transfers the connection of the associated repeater relay R from terminal L2 to a terminal Com of the unit, a back contact I2 of transmitting relay T of the same unit being interposed in the connection to terminal Com. At field station IFS as well as at any other intermediate vfield station that might be included in the system, a resistor I3 is also interposed in the connection to the terminal Com.

In accordance with my invention, the oice station apparatus is connected to the coding storage units of the field stations over either a first or normal line circuit including line wires Y and Z, or over a second or spare line circuit including line wires SY andSZ. At the office station OF a manually operable two position switch OS is provided for selectively connecting the office station apparatus to one or the other of the two line circuits. At each field station a polar relay PR is provided for selectively connecting the respective coding storage unit CS to one or the other of the two line circuits,

The polar relays PR are preferably alike and each is of the type characterized by the fact that its polar armature remains in the position to which it was last moved when the relay is deenergized and also by the fact that the stroke of the polar armature is completed if current is applied to the winding of the relay for a long enough interval to open the contacts in the last position. To aid in understanding the invention I shall consider the contact members of each polar relay to occupy a normal position when set at the right-hand position as viewed in the drawing, and to occupy a reverse position when set at the left-hand position.

Normally switch `OS at the oflce station is set at a normal or right-hand position and each polarrelay PR occupies its normal position. Under these circumstances the rst or normal line circuit can be traced from the positive terminal of battery OB over winding of office station repeater relay OR, back contact I4 of office station transmitting relay OT, contact member I5 of switch OS in its normal position, line wire Y to intermediate station IFS, normal position of contact member 3 of polar relay PR of station IFS, terminal LI of the coding storage unit CS of station IFS, winding of the respective repeater relay R, back contact III of the master relay M of the same unit, terminal L2 of that unit,

v normal position of contact member 5 of polar relay PR of station IFS, line wire YI to end sta'- tion ES, normal position of contact member 3 of polar relay PR of station YES, terminal LI of the coding storage unit CS of station ES, winding of repeater relay R of that unit, back contact I0 of the associated master relay M, terminal L2 of the unit, rnormal position of contact member 4 of polar relay PR at station ES, line wire Z back to oice station OF, normal position of contact member I6 of switch OS and to the negative terminal of battery OB. Hence repeater relay OR at the ofce station and repeater relay R at each of the stations IFS and ES are energized in series bythe current supplied by line battery riodically interrupt this line circuit according to a predetermined time code pattern all three of the repeater relays are operated in accordance With such time code. `As described fully in the aforementioned Lewis Patent No. 2,229,249, operation ofrtherepeaterrelay R of a eldstation serves vtoselect the station for which such control `code is intended and in turn to govern corresponding trailic governing `signaling devices. In the event master` relay M at station IFS is picked up in response to some operation of the traic governing devices associated with such station, the first line circuitis disconnected from the end station ESand is completed over front contact II of the master relay M, back contact I2 of transmitting relay T at station IFS, resistor I3, terminal Com, normal position of Contact member 4 `of relay PR at station IFS, line wire Z back to the oice station, normal position of contact member I6 of switch OS andto negative terminal of battery OB.` Under this` condition of the apparatus, operation of transmitting relay T at station IFS to interruptl the line circuit in accordance with some predetermined time code pattern of an indication code causes relay OR at the office station to be operated inaccordance with such indication code, and in turn effects corresponding indication devices for informing the operator at the omce station of the position of some traino governing device associated with the intermediate field station IFS.

In the event master relay M at the end station ES is picked up in response to operation of some trafc governing device associated with such station so that front contact II of master relay M of station CS is closed, the line circuit is completed over back contact I2 of transmitting relay T of station ES, terminal Com of the respective unit CS and hence as previously traced to the negative terminal of line battery OB, with the result that an indication code can be transmitted over this rst line circuit from the end station ES by operation of the end station transmitting relay T; The foregoing line circuit and operation thereof is that explained in the aforementioned Lewis patentexcept for the fact that the circuit hereincludes contacts of the switch OS at the oflice station and contacts of the polar relay PRat each of the different eld stations. Looking at polar relay PR at stations IFS, the right-hand terminal of its winding is Aconnected to wire SY of` the secondor spare line circuit over normal position of contact member I of the relay, and the left-hand terminal of its wind- Y ing is connected to wire SZ of the second line circuit over the normal position of contact member 2 of the` relay. In like manner, the righthand terminal of the winding `of polar relay PR at station ES is connected to line wire SYI of the second or spare line circuit over the normal position of contact member I of that relay and position, line wire SZ to station IFS, normal position of contact member 2 of relay PR at station IFS, winding of that polar relay, normalposition of contact member I lof the relay, line wire SY back to the oflice stationnOF and contact member'l of switch OS in its left-hand position to the other terminal of battery OB. The con-` nections aresuch that relay PR at station' IFS is energized as `required to operate its contact members I to 5, inclusive, to the reverse or left- `hand position, it being recalled that the stroke `of the armature of this relay once moved far enough to open the normal contacts is completed although the flow of current to the relay ceases -due to the opening of the cir-cuit at the normal polar contacts of the relay. With polar relay PR at station IFS operated to its reverse position, current flows from battery OB over line wire SZ .of the `spare line circuit to end station ES, and thenceover the normal position of contact member! of polar relay PR of station ES, winding-of `that relay, normal position of contact member I of the relay, line Wire SYI back to the intermediatestation IFS, reverse position of contact member 5 of the relay PR of station IFS, terminal L2 of the associated coding storage unit CS, back contact IU of the respective master relay M, winding of the respective; repeater relay R, terminal LI of the coding storage unit, reverse position of contact member 3 of relay PR at station IFS, line wire SY to oflice station OF and contact member I6 of switch OS to the other. terminal of battery OB; and polar relay PR at the end station ES is energized to operate its contact members to the reverse position. With switch OS at its` left-hand position, line wire SZ the left-hand terminal of the winding of this relay is connected to line Wire SZI of the second line circuit over the normal member 2 of the relay. r

Assuming that the operator at the oilice station desires to `make use of the spareor second line circuit including line wires SY and SZ, the switch OS is thrown toa second or left-hand position. In this second position of switch OS current flows from battery OB through winding .of relay OR, back contact` I 4 of relay OT, contact member I5 of vswitch O S in the left-hand position oi Contact to end station ES, reverse position of contact member 4 `ol? relay PR at station ES, terminal L2 of the respective unit CS, back contact I0 of the master relay of that unit, repeater relay R of the unit, terminal LI, reverse position of 4contact member 3 of relay PR of station ES, line wire SYI to station IFS, reverse position of `contact member 5 of relay PR of station IFS, terminal L2 of the respective unit CS, back contactII) of the master relay M of that unit, repeater relayR of the unit, terminal LI, reverse position of contact member 3 of relay PR of station IFS, line wire SY to office station OF and contact member I6 of switch OS to the negative terminal of battery OB.

It follows that the repeater relays are now all energized in series over the spare line circuit and that transmission of a control code from the oiiice station will be received by the R relays of the field stations and transmission of an indication code for either eld station IFS or ES will be` received by the oiiice station repeater relay OR in the same manner as described in connection with such transmission of control and indication codes` over the normal or rst'line circuit. It is tovbe seen therefore that operation of switch OS at the oice station causes the polar relay PR at station IFS to be reversed to transfer its respective coding storage unit to the spare line circuit, and that such operation of relay PR of a field station IFS is immediately followed by reversal the different coding 1 of polar relay PR at end station ES to transfer the respective coding storage unit to the spare line circuit and that the centralized tramo control system is then conditioned for operation over the spare line circuit.

In the event that the operator desires to use the normal line circuit again he shifts the switch OS back to its normal position. Current then flows from battery OB through repeater relay OR, back contact I4 of relay OT, contact rnernber I5 of switch OS in the right-hand position, line wire Y, reverse position of contact member I of relay PR at station IFS, winding of that relay, reverse position of contact member 2 of the relay, line wire Z and contact member I6 of switch OS at its right-hand position to the negative terminal of battery OB; and polar relay PR at station IFS is energized as required to operate its contact members to the right-hand or normal position and in so doing storage unit is transferred lback to tlie normal line circuit. rWhen polar relay PR at field station IFS is operated to its normal position current flows as before over line wire Y and thence over normal position of contact member 3 of relay PR at station IFS, terminal LI of the associated coding storage unit, relay R of the unit, back contact I of the associated master relay M, terminal L2 of the unit, normal position o'f contact member 5 of relay PR at station IFS, line wire L,

YI, reverse position of contact member I of .relay PR at station ES, winding of the relay, reverse position of contact member 2 of that relay, line wire Z back to the ofce station and contact member I6 oi tery OB; and polar relay PR at the end station ES is energized as required to operate its contact members to the normal position and thereby connect the associated coding storage unit to the normal line circuit. The apparatus is now conditioned for operation of the centralized'traiiic control system over the first or normal line circuit.

Consequently, operating of switch OS at the oflice station serves to cause operation of the polar relays at the different field stations and storage units to be connected to the same line circuit as that at which the office station is connected, the operator at the office station effecting such switching of the centralized traflic control system from one line circuit to the other unaided and without leaving the office station.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway traic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood vthat various changes and modications may be made therein Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In combination, an oice station and a field station spaced apart, a first and a second line circuit extending between said stations, a relay at the field station, 'a current source and a two position switch at the ofncestation, a polar rel-ay at the iield station characterized by the fact. that the stroke of the polar armature is completed when current 'is supplied to the relay winding for an interval long enough to move the armature away from its last position, said polar relay winding connected to said rst and second line circuits over reverse and normal contacts of said polar relay respectively, said first mentioned the respective coding switch OS to negative terminal of batrelay connected to said rst and second line circuits over normal and reverse contacts of said polar relay respectively, and said current source connected to said first line circuit over a preselected one of said two positions of said switch to supply current as required to energize said polar relay at normal polarity and said current source connected to said second line circuit over the other position of said two positions of said switch to supply current as required to energize said polar relay at reverse polarity.

2'. In combination, an ofce station and a iield station spaced apart, a rst and a second line circuit extending between such stations for transmission of control influences between the two stations, a current source and a two position switch at the oflice station, a polar relay at the field station and characterized by the fact that the polar armature remains in the position to which it was last moved when the relay winding is deenergized and the Stroke of the armature is completed when current is supplied to the winding for'an interval long enough to move the armature away from its last position, said polar relay winding connected to said first and second line circuits over its own reverse and normal contacts respectively said current source connected to said first line circuit over a preselected one of the positions of said switch to supply current as required to energize said polar relay at normal polarity and said current source connected to said second line circuit over the other position of said switch to supply current as required to energize said polar relay at reverse polarity, and controlled means at the field station connected to said rst and second line circuits over normal and reverse contacts of the polar relay respectively.

3. In combination, an oflice station and a field station spaced apart, a normal and a spare line circuit extending between such stations, a repeater relay at said field station, a current source and a two position switch at the oiiice station, a polar relay at the field station characterized by the fact that the stroke of the polar armature is completed when current is supplied to the relay winding for an interval long enough to move the armature away from its last position, said polar relay winding connected to said normal and spare line circuits over reverse and normal contacts of the relay respectively, said repeater relay connected to said normal and spare line circuits over normal and reverse contacts of said polar relay respectively, means including a first position of said switch to connect said current source to said normal line circuit as required to energize the polar relay at normal polarity for operating the polar relay to its normal position to connect said repeater relay to the normal line circuit, and means including the other position of the switch to connect said current source to said spare line circuit as required to energize the polar relay at reverse polarity for operating the polar relay to its reverse position to connect said repeater relay to the spare line circuit.

fl. In combination, an office station and a field station spaced apart, a normal and a spare line circuit extending between such stations, a repeater relay at said eld station, a current source and a two position switch at the oflice station, a polar l.relay at the eld station characterized by the 'fact that the stroke of the polar armature is completed when current is supplied to the relay winding. for an interval long enough to move the armature away from its last position, said polar relay winding connected to said normal and spare line circuits over reverse and normal contacts of the relay respectively, said repeater relay connected to said normal and spare line circuits over normal and reverse contacts of said polar relay respectively, means including a rst position of said switch to connect said current source to said normal line circuit as required to energize thek polar relay at normal polarity for operating the i polar relay to its normal position to connectsaid` repeater relay to the normal line circuit,Y means including the other position of the switch to `connect said current source to said spare line circuit as required to energize Ythe polar relay at reverse polarity for operating the polar relay to `its reverse position to connect said repeater to the spare line circuit, and control means at the office i station interposed` in the connection of said current source to `said switch fcr governing the energization of said repeaterrelay nected to either of said line circuits.

5. In combination, an olice station and a'eld station spaced apart, a normal and a spare line when conarmature from the last position the armature moves to the other position although the current ceases, each polar relay having its winding con-,-

nected to'said normal and spare line circuits over its ownreverse Vand normal contacts respectively,

means including a normal contact of the polar relay at the intermediate station to loop the normal line circuit through that station and including a reverse contact of such polarrelay to loop the spare line circuit through the intermediate station, means including said switch vat a selectedl one of its positions to` connect said current source to the normal line` circuit as required' to supply A` current of` a polarity that energizes iirst the polar relayl of the intermediate station and then the polar relay at `the end station at normal polarity, and means 'including said switch `atits circuit extending between saidV stations, two` neutral repeater relays oneV at each of. said stations, a current source and a two position switch at said oice station,` a polar relay at said field station and having itswinding connected to `said normal line circuit `over a reverse contact of the relay and to said spare line circuit `over a normal contact ofthe relay, said'iield` station'reother position to connect the currentsource to the spare line circuit as required to supply cur-` rent that energizes rst the polar relay at the `intermediate station and then the n polar relay at the end station atreverse polarity.

7. In combination, `an oice station, an intermediate station, an end station, anormal line circuit including a first pair of line wires eX- tending between said stations, a spare line circuit including a second pair of line wires extendyinglcetween said stations, a repeater relay at each of said stations, a source of current and a two position rswitch at said office station, two polar grelays one at said intermediate station and the peater relay connected to said normal lineA circuit over a normal contact of the polar relay and to said spare line circuit over a reverse contact of the polar relay, means including one position of said switchv to connect `said current sourceand oice station repeater relay in series to said normal-line circuit to` energize said polar relay at normal polarity for operating the `polar relay to its normal position and subsequently energizing circuit, and means including theV other position of said switch to connect said current source and `ofce station repeater relay inv series to said spare line circuit to energize said polar relay at reverse polarity for operating the polar relay to its.re,

verse position and subsequently energizing said repeater relays in series over the spare line circuit.. 6. In combination, an cnice, an intermediate and an end station which are spaced apart in the order named, a normal and a spare line circuit extending between said stations, a current source and a two position switch at said oiiice station,"

' a normal and a reverse polar contact of the re-V Aother at said end station, saidintermediate and end stations each provided with means including spective polar relay to connect the repeater relay at the same station in series with vsaid normal l and spare line circuits respectively, lsaid inter "mediate and end stations each provided with means including -a normal and a reverse polar said repeater relays in series .over the normal line c a polar relay at each of the intermediate and end 1 stations, each of such polar relays characterized by the fact that when current is supplied `to its winding for an interval longy enough to move its contactof the respective polar relay to connect a winding of the polar relay `at the same station across the line Wires of the spare and normal line circuits respectively, and means including therst position of said switchl to connect vthe oice station repeater relay and current source in'series in'said normal line circuit to apply to that line circuitcurrentof a polarity as required i relays to the reverse position for energizing said repeater relays in series. ROBERT M. ROSENSTEEL. 

